Little Vixens
by thatgirlwhowritessometimes
Summary: We all know Kili and Fili are quite a handful now, but how were they as children? A series of drabbles about the childhood of Kili and Fili, featuring Thorin, Dis and others! All ideas are welcome for future stories. Rated K now, may change depending on future content!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note****: Because my first story about Fili and Kili as children, Hero, got such wonderful reviews, I decided to continue doing stories about our favourite dwarf children! It is the first of a series of drabbles about Kili and Fili's childhood in the Blue Mountains. More will be coming soon! Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own these characters, nor do I make a profit from this work.**

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Kili couldn't remember a time when he was more terrified than he was now.

Well, it wasn't like Kili was very old. He was only eight, a mere toddler by dwarf standards, so it wasn't as if he had been exposed to a lot of scary things in his young life. But at this point, he couldn't care less - his little heart was beating at an alarming rate, and his palms were slick with sweat.

He heard heavy footsteps coming from above, eliciting creaks and moans from the wood of his once safe home. They were coming for him, but there was nothing he could do. He was just too young and too small to fight them off if they caught him.

Kili turned his face into his big brother's chest, clutching his tunic tightly. Fili tightened his arms around the trembling bundle in an attempt to soothe him. They were tucked into a small cupboard in their kitchen, hiding from the menace they both hoped wouldn't find them.

The brothers tensed when they heard the footsteps approach and come to rest in the doorway to the kitchen. Kili's lip began to quiver as he struggled to hold back desperate whimpers. He told himself that Fili could save them, because he was tougher and smarter than anyone else he knew. They would get through this together.

"Come out, come out from wherever you are, you little dwarven vixens!" A deep voice boomed.

Kili shuddered. Fili quietly whispered words of comfort to his younger brother, but through his fear it seemed to fall upon deaf ears.

"Fili! Kili!" a softer, yet equally scary voice chimed in.

There were a few moments of silence, until –

"It's bath time!"

Kili howled in anguish before he could stop himself, and then abruptly shut his mouth. He gave away their position! Realizing their hiding place had been compromised, the boys sprang out from the cupboard and made a break for freedom through the door to the garden on the other side of the room. But just as Fili was reaching for the door knob, Kili felt a strong pair of arms envelop him. He cried out and struggled against his captor. A similar cry from Fili made him struggle even more. They would not go down like this!

"Now young one, do not make this any harder than it has to be. You and Fili are filthy," Thorin complained, though he was unable to hold back an amused chuckle. "You two are quite the trouble makers. Dis and I have spent the better part of an hour trying to find you lot! You'll be lucky if the bath is still warm."

Kili wanted to cry. A _cold_bath? That was so much worse. They were doomed!

The little dark haired dwarf craned his neck to peek at his brother, who was trapped in his mother's equally impenetrable arms. They made eye contact and a silent agreement was passed between them - _Do not give up_.

But their situation seemed hopeless. Though Kili was a rebellious little dwarf, as was his brother, he felt the spirit to fight leave him. What good would it do? He knew his mother and his uncle would not rest until he and Fili were properly bathed. He hung his head in defeat, dark locks obscuring his vision of what he knew was the walk to where a soapy torture awaited him. What had he done to deserve this? It was just one harmless mud puddle! Taking a bath seemed just a tad extreme...

He smelt the soap before he saw it. The strong berry scent was the one he associated with his brother, and that usually meant comfort. But now, when it meant the promise of unbearable agony, it was the exact opposite. He barely had time to register this horrifying fact before Thorin was tugging his dirty clothing off, muttering about the incredible stubbornness of dwarves.

Kili was thankful the water actually wasn't cold, just barely lukewarm, which was a small consolation considering the circumstances. Dis and Thorin had also filled it with his favourite bath toys, which he decided also wasn't all that bad. He really did like the miniature wooden boat that Bifur had made just for him. It was made from smooth pine, and had a big enough deck to fit a few of his other toys. Fili was soon placed beside him as being only five years apart, both were small enough to fit into the tub together.

As Dis reached for the soap, Kili watched Fili's eyes widen to saucers. The soaping process was their least favourite part. The stuff really stung when it got in your eyes, even though the only reason it got there in the first place was because both put up such a fight while it was being done. Kili giggled as he observed Fili's rather valiant attempt to climb out of the tub. He almost made it too - one leg was hanging over the tub's rim before Thorin realized what his nephew was doing and moved to stop him.

"You'd think we were torturing you the way you two are struggling," Thorin muttered, shaking his head at his nephews as he forced Fili back into the tub. "It's just a bit of soap and water!"

Kili huffed and crossed his small arms across his chest, while his mother began working the soap into his hair. "It is! It's horrible! You try it and see how _you_ like it."

Thorin laughed. "Actually, I bathe quite regularly. It's quite nice after a long day of working in the forge." Thorin looked to his sister, hoping he'd said the right thing to her sons. Apparently it was, because she smiled and nodded her approval.

Kili and Fili gasped, horrified. Baths were not nice! Not nice at all!

"Thorin, grab the soap and get to work on Fili," Dis ordered as she attempted to wash behind the large ears Kili hadn't quite grown into yet.

Thorin reached for the soap, keeping his eyes on Fili the entire time. Fili stared back at him, gaze level and every aspect of his body language defiant. Thorin was actually worried that the little blonde haired menace had something planned. Though he loved both of his nephews dearly, he always had to act carefully around them - they were some of the most cunning dwarves he'd ever known, despite their young age. They would be truly evil when they were grown. He shuddered at the thought.

However, it seemed Fili was not going to do anything sneaky. He sat there, looking at a suddenly wary Thorin with an almost bored expression, appearing to wait for the inevitable cleaning process. Thorin was not fooled by this innocent act, for he knew his nephews too well.

As soon as he got close, Fili splashed soapy water up into his uncle's face. Thorin leapt back, rubbing furiously at his eyes which had taken received the majority of the attack. Fili took the opportunity while Thorin was otherise engaged to spring from the tub and sprint out the door. Dis dove for him but grasped nothing but air, making Kili whoop and cheer his brother on. He was free!

Having just finished cleaning Kili, Dis jumped up and ran after her eldest son. "Watch Kili, do not let him go anywhere!" she yelled at Thorin as she took off from the room.

Thorin turned back to Kili, who looked incredibly smug that he and his brother were causing as much trouble as possible. He pulled up a stool and sat at the edge of the tub, staring right at his nephew without blinking. Kili giggled and tried to poke him in the nose, but could not reach.

Thorin regarded his sister-son carefully for a moment. "You are evil," he finally decided.

Kili smiled sweetly up at him, his big cheeks a rosy red. How could such adorable children like Fili and Kili be such nightmares when it came to such simple things like mere baths? Thorin crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, watching the young dwarf like a hawk for any signs of mischief. Kili mimicked him, crossing his own stubby arms and screwing up his delicate features as he attempted the famous Durin scowl. He did a surprisingly good job.

A loud squeal broke the silence, which Thorin assumed meant that Fili had been recaptured. His guess was confirmed when Dis returned, carrying a damp, nude Fili in her arms. She dumped him back in the tub, looking stern.

"Fili, if you do not behave, Thorin will not tell you a story when it's bedtime. Do you want that?"

Kili watched the smirk slide off his brother's face and then vehemently shake his head. Story time was the only good part about going to bed, because Thorin told amazing stories about fiery dragons and brave warriors! They always looked forward to them every night.

"Then _behave_. That is my final warning."

Fili and Kili gulped, sitting extra still for the duration of the bath. Thorin felt a tinge of pride knowing that his stories were so highly regarded in his young nephew's eyes, but hid it behind his gruff exterior. He didn't want them to think he was going soft for his sister's two boys... which he absolutely was. But they didn't need to know that.

Kili and Fili were relieved when the torture was finally over. They were soon dried, reclothed and carefully tucked into their warm, cozy bed. They snuggled up to each other and then looked at Thorin expectantly, who was supervising their bed time routine while Dis was busy in the kitchen.

"Well?" Fili prompted. "Aren't you going to tell us a story, uncle?"

Thorin looked out the window, seeing how dark it was already. "I don't know. It is very late, since you two took so long to bathe…"

Thorin almost felt bad for teasing them when he watched Kili's eyes fill with tears and Fili's shoulders droop morosely. "But… but you- you promised!" Kili stammered, fisting the bed sheets in his little hands. They had promised!

"Alright, alright. Just one quick story," Thorin conceded. Kili and Fili's faces immediately lit up with bright smiles as they parted and made room for him in their bed. His nephews could pull on his heartstrings and make him do just about anything, especially since they had almost perfected the kicked puppy look. He really was getting soft in his old age, and he was only one hundred and twenty-three!

Thorin took off his boots and lay on the bed in between his sister-sons. They both curled around him, one on each side, while he thought about which tale to tell them that night.

"Did I ever tell you lads about my very first sword? I made it myself, with a few difficulties…"

As Thorin launched the story of his childhood back in Erebor, Kili and Fili listened eagerly. But halfway through the tale, their exhaustion from the day's events overcame them and within moments they were snoring softly. Not wanting to wake the two boys snuggled up to him, Thorin decided to wait until they were deeply asleep before he would get up to leave. He didn't want Dis knowing how her sons had him all but wrapped around their tiny fingers.

But if Dis walked into the room later that night and found Thorin fast asleep with an arm around each of her sons, she'd never tell a soul.

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**Please review!**

**Also, if you guys have any ideas or any prompts you'd like me to fill review and let me know and I'll use them :) Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** **Hello! So I updated this much later than I planned on... sorry! This took me forever to write, which makes sense cause its nearly 9k words long. Do you guys prefer long or short stories? Let me know!**

**So I know our little dwarves are very cute and fluffy, but I wanted to express that their childhood isn't just filled with happy memories. So to warn you, there is considerable amounts of angst and some verbal arguments in this, but everythings works out. I promise the next update will be much fluffier! :) Also, I state their ages in dwarf years, not human years. But to clarify: 20 years old in dwarf years is the equivalent of an 8 year old in human years (Fili), and the 15 year old is the equivalent of a 6 year old (Kili).**

**This was written for a prompt from ballykissangel. I hope I filled it to your liking! **

**Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews/follows/favourites so far! Enjoy :)**

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Fili awoke to the sound of rain pattering softly against the window in his room. He smiled sleepily and stretched out his small body in his bed. He loved the rain, as it was he and Kili's favourite thing to play in. The big puddles and all the mud were great for having adventures!

Yawning widely, the blonde dwarfling rubbed his eyes with his little fists and rolled onto his side. He blearily opened his eyes to reveal the blurry image of his little brother lying next to him, brown eyes sparkling and a grin on his face. Fili was confused at first. What had Kili so excited so early in the day?

"Fifi! Are you excited for today?!" Kili whispered with barely contained child-like enthusiasm.

Fili considered this. What was today again? Clearly whatever it was had his brown-haired brother practically bouncing in their bed. Kili looked almost upset at Fili's lack of recognition of what significance the day held.

"It's your birthing day! How could you forget that, silly!" Kili giggled, prodding his older brother in the stomach with a tiny finger.

Fili's mouth dropped open. Of course! He was twenty winters old today! Kili was right, how _could_ he forget that? Excitement shot through his body. He leapt out of their warm bed and pulled on the boots that were getting a bit too small for him.

"Come on, Kee! Let's go wake momma and Uncle Thorin!" Kili jumped up, forgoing his own boots to race after his brother with bare feet. They ran out their door and then down the hall to Dis' room. Fili had to jump up several times to reach the knob, but when he finally gripped it he threw the door open and wasted no time springing up on the bed against the far wall, Kili hot on his heels.

Luckily, Dis was already awake and having heard her sons coming, she was prepared for the attack. When her little dwarflings landed on her, she snatched them up and tickled them mercilessly. Fili and Kili shrieked with laughter as they tried to squirm out of their mother's strong but gentle grip. Dis laughed heartily at the sight before her. After a few minutes she decided to grant her boys mercy. Still giggling, they wiped the tears of laughter from their cheeks and snuggled up to their mother. She gathered her two main sources of happiness in her arms, holding them tenderly.

"You boys keep me young," Dis sighed contentedly, kissing each of their foreheads.

Fili and Kili smiled up at their mother, who they loved more than anything else in the whole world. However, the comfortable silence did not last long before Kili could not contain his excitement another second. "Momma!" Kili yanked on one of his mother's braids to get her undivided attention. "It's today! It's Fifi's birthing day today!"

Dis chuckled and carefully removed her hair from her youngest son's grasp. She looked from Kili to her eldest born. "Indeed it is, Kili. You almost seem more excited than your brother." She grinned cheekily at Fili.

Fili looked offended. "No way! I'm the most excited! Honest, momma!"

Dis laughed again. "I believe you, young one. Now how about some breakfast? I'm sure you're both starving from all this excitement so early in the day."

"Yeah!" Fili and Kili shouted enthusiastically. Dis always made special breakfasts for their birthing days, as it was tradition. She even made them for Thorin when it was his birthing day, which he was always (not so secretly) pleased with.

The brothers leapt from Dis' bed and ran towards the kitchen. Dis shook her head, smiling at her sons' antics. She hoped they would never change and never lose their excitement for life. It's what made them such a joy to be around.

Dis left her room and moved towards her brother's room. She knocked softly, hoping Thorin was awake. The door opened, revealing her sleepy yet alert brother.

Before she could even get a word in, Thorin was speaking. "What was all that screaming and yelling earlier? Did Fili and Kili get into a fight?" Thorin asked quickly, more than a little worried. The brothers never fought, so it was extremely rare they'd be screaming at each other so early in the morning.

"No, no fighting. Fili and Kili were just excited that it is Fili's birthing day today," Dis replied.

"Oh yes, I remember now." Thorin visibly relaxed. "Anything special planned for him?"

"Of course. A few presents... among other things." Dis smiled sneakily.

Thorin could only imagine what his sister had planned for Fili. As children themselves, Dis had always taken it upon herself to make everyone's birthing days as wonderful as possible. Before he could further grill her for information, a cry from the kitchen interrupted their conversation.

"Momma! Are you coming?" Kili yelled, the inquiry echoed by an anxious Fili.

Thorin laughed at his nephews' impatience and went with Dis to the kitchen. Together they made a delicious breakfast of potatoes, eggs, homemade bread and all sorts of meat. After their hearty meal and a few presents (including a new pair of warm boots Fili was over the moon about), Dis revealed her surprise for Fili. She had carved him a small wooden sword, which Fili accepted with an excited squeal. Getting their first weapon was a big moment for a young dwarf like Fili.

The rest of the morning and afternoon was filled with laughter from Fili and Kili as they played with all of Fili's presents. Dis and Thorin watched over them, contributing to the laughter when the little dwarves did something humorous. Which – considering it was Fili and Kili – was quite often.

After a few hours, Dis left Thorin and her sons in the yard to get started on Fili's favourite dinner. Thorin watched with great amusement as Fili and Kili fought invisible orcs, Fili wielding his little wooden sword and Kili swinging a twig around with great ferocity. Eventually, his nephews grew tired and lay on the grass side by side.

"Hey, Fifi. I have something for you." Fili looked over at his little brother while Kili fished in his pockets, producing a package clumsily wrapped in cloth after a few moments of searching. He passed it to the elder.

"I hope you like it," Kili said shyly, twisting his hands together nervously.

"Of course I will, Kee. It's from you after all," Fili said while he began to unwrap the cloth from around his gift. The blonde dwarf removed the last fold of cloth to reveal what appeared to be an old arrowhead. Fili made sure not to touch the still sharp tip while he inspected his gift. Though it was dirty and rusty, it still shone brightly where the sunlight touched it. Fili could clearly tell it was not made by a dwarf, due to the elegant designs carved into it and the inscription of words in a language he didn't recognize.

He absolutely loved it.

"Where did you find this? It's great!" Fili asked, hugging his little brother tightly.

Kili, blushing something fierce, unwrapped an arm from around his brother to point at the woods that began at the edge of their yard. "I was out exploring one day–"

"–Not too far from home, I hope?" Thorin interrupted. He had ambled over when he saw his Kili give Fili a package, curious as to what the little dark-haired dwarf had given his older brother.

Kili gulped. Dis had told them repeatedly to stay within sight of their home while they were playing in the woods. "Y-yeah. Not too far away." Kili's excitement returned almost immediately. "But look what I found out there, Thorin! Isn't it pretty? Fili said he really liked it!"

Fili, who had been busy trying to rub some of the dirt off of his new possession, looked up at this statement. "Yeah, I really do like it. It's so cool! I've never seen anything like this before," Fili agreed.

Thorin moved to his eldest nephew's side and knelt down next to him, holding his hand out patiently. Fili handed it over carefully, being wary of the sharp edges. Thorin stood and held the arrowhead up to the sunlight so he could see it better. When he realized what it was, his expression instantly darkened.

"Elves," he spat. Thorin recognized the designs and craftsmanship of his most hated enemies. He had to physically restrain himself from turning and throwing the arrowhead back into the woods, or from tossing it to the ground and stomping it into the earth. Either option would have been equally satisfying.

"Elves?" Kili asked, confused. "It was made by elves?" The two brothers shared an excited look. "That's so cool!" they exclaimed in unison.

Fili tugged on Thorin's coat and reached up with one small hand. "Can I have it back, Uncle Thorin? I wanna go play with it now."

Thorin looked down at his nephews, disgust plain on his features. "You think that is '_cool' _? That this piece of filthy Elf work is something better than what we dwarves can craft ourselves? Foolish children!" he snarled, shoving the arrowhead in his pocket. "I am going to the closest forge to melt this disgusting thing down to nothing."

Fili gasped, tugging harder on Thorin's coat as he went to walk away. "No, that's mine! Kili gave it to me for my birthing day! Don't take it from me, please uncle!" Kili stood frozen, too shocked to do anything but gape at his uncle and brother.

"Fili! Let go of my coat," Thorin demanded as he tried to tug the folds of his coat from his sister-son's grip. "You will not be getting this back and that is final! No dwarf of my blood will be in possession of any sort of filthy Elven craftsmanship." With one mighty yank, Thorin removed his coat from Fili's hands.

The small blonde dwarf fell forward to his knees when he lost the hold on his uncle's coat. He hissed in pain when his right knee landed on a sharp stone laying in the grass. Blinking back tears, Fili looked up at his enraged uncle. "But- but why uncle?" he asked quietly, bottom lip quivering.

Thorin loomed over his nephew, his large hands balled into fists in fury. "Because Elves are back-stabbing scum and no nephew of mine will be associated with them in any aspect! You will not be some ridiculous Elf lover. You are a prince of Erebor and I expect you to act like one!"

Fili couldn't stop the tears that began to leak from his eyes from his uncle's harsh scolding, nor the anger that bloomed in his chest. "Who cares about Erebor?! This place could be made up for all we know. I've never been there or even seen it, so why should I care about a place that doesn't even exist!"

Thorin actually took a step back, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Who cares... about Erebor?" he choked out. Then the rage returned, strong and passionate. "I cannot _believe_ you would say such a thing. You dare speak so lowly of our race's home, our family's legacy? And to think I have come to think of you as one of my own - as if you were my son." Thorin's eyes were filled with fire, his voice dangerously cold. "To think I was proud of you and would speak so highly of you, yet you are nothing but those cowardly Elves you adore so much. What a grave mistake I have made."

Thorin turned from his eldest nephew and snatched up Kili who was still rooted to the same spot in utter shock at what he had just witnessed. Without so much as a backward glance, Thorin headed for the house leaving Fili alone in the yard.

When his uncle entered the house, Fili collapsed on the ground. His tears came freely now, soaking the collar of his tunic as he curled up on his side and sobbed. His own uncle, someone he'd come to view as a father figure, had single handedly ruined his birthing day and broken his heart. And for what? Some chunk of metal and an old grudge against another race so far away from their own?

Fili looked up at his house, the beacon of warmth and light, where his mother and his uncle and his brother were waiting for him. He didn't want to go back there and face the cruel things Thorin had said about him. It hurt too much. Thorin didn't want him, he didn't belong there anymore. So Fili did what any upset young dwarf in his situation would do.

He ran.

* * *

Dis paced anxiously across the kitchen floor. The dinner she had spent hours preparing sat untouched on the table, growing colder with each passing minute. Kili sat quietly on his chair at the table, staring unblinkingly at the door to the yard. Thorin sat on another chair beside him, drumming his fingers against the wooden table nervously. He thought Fili would be back by now. Where could he be?

When he calmed down enough to think coherently, it finally dawned on Thorin how serious his actions were. He truly regretted the words he'd said to Fili. His eldest nephew did not deserve to be the recipient of the rage fueled by a grudge he should have let go of many years back. Sometimes his anger clouded his judgement and made him say awful things that he would instantly regret, but was often too full of pride to take back. What he said to Fili was no exception. He was ashamed of himself for saying such terrible things to someone so young and innocent, not to mention a dwarf of his own blood. Though he did not have much experience with children, it was hardly an excuse. Plain and simple – he was a fool.

Thorin had not yet told Dis what he had said to her son, and he observed that Kili was too shocked to even utter a word of what had happened more than three hours ago to his mother. When he had come in to the house with an abnormally quiet Kili in his arms after scolding Fili, Thorin had told Dis that Fili would be along shortly. Apparently, he had judged his nephew poorly. Again.

Dis stopped her pacing and looked at her brother, glaring fiercely. "Alright, Thorin. Tell me what happened and do not lie to me this time. I know that look on your face – it speaks of regret and sadness. I have seen it many times while we were growing up, so do not tell me I am mistaken."

Thorin sighed, opting to tell his sister the truth. When he was finished, Dis looked absolutely livid. Kili promptly burst into tears, covering his face with his little hands. Dis rubbed one hand on her son's back in an attempt to soothe him while glaring at her brother.

"Thorin Oakenshield," she spoke lowly, her voice quivering with barely concealed anger. "If you were not my King as well as my brother, I would let the true extent of my rage known to you." She took a deep breath in attempting to calm herself before continuing. Thorin noticed her fingers twitch towards the rather large steak knife lying on the table. "You have exactly three seconds to get up from my table and find my son to repair the damage you have caused. Do not come back without him."

Behind the rage, Thorin saw the fear and despair in his sister's eyes and instantly felt terrible for doing this to her. Without a word in return, he got up from his chair, pulled on his coat and left for the yard. He was going to find Fili and fix what he had broken, because no one deserved to feel how Thorin was sure Fili was feeling right now.

Thorin entered the yard and looked around. Where would Fili have run to? He looked past the yard and into the woods. He cringed internally. The woods were a terrible place to be at night, for it was filled with wolves and other dangerous creatures. If Fili was in there, he had to act fast or else there would soon be nothing left of his little nephew to find. He began to walk swiftly towards the dark cluster of trees, only to nearly trip over something in the grass. He knelt down and inspected what he had caught his foot on. It was Fili's wooden sword, abandoned right where Thorin had left him.

Thorin had never wanted to apologize to anyone more in his life.

* * *

Fili was cold, tired and his knee really hurt. But that mattered little in comparison to the emotional pain he was experiencing. No one loved him, and no one wanted him. Why should he deserve warmth and food? He wasn't good enough - Thorin had made that painfully clear to him.

He had stopped crying a while ago, because it took up too much effort. Now he clung to the tree he had climbed, pressing his face against the rough bark. He would stay up here forever. He would miss Kili, but if he wasn't wanted at home then what choice did any of them have? He'd have to stay away for good.

Fili tensed when a howl pierced through the sounds of the night. He shivered and clutched the tree even tighter. Wolves couldn't climb trees, could they? He whimpered and fought back another bout of tears, wiping his dirty face with the back of one even dirtier hand. He didn't want to cry anymore. He needed to be strong, for he was on his own now.

He yelped when he heard the sound of something moving through the brush below him. It was a ways off still, as the wind was throwing the sounds towards him, but he could tell it was coming in his direction. What if it was a wolf? He didn't even have his new sword to defend himself with.

"Fili!"

Fili jumped at the sound of his name. He recognized his uncle's voice, and the brief spike of hope was promptly overwhelmed by anger. What did he want now? Maybe to tell him again how he was a failure and that now not even Kili wanted him to come back home? Thorin could say whatever he wanted, but he was never going home again. Never!

"_Fili!_" Thorin yelled again, with a touch of desperation audible in his voice. Fili was confused. Did Thorin actually care about what happened to him? No, probably not. But then why would he be searching for him... maybe he did care after all? The little dwarf tried to stop himself from growing more hopeful. He didn't want to forgive Thorin and then have him yell at him again. What was he supposed to do?

Thorin was almost directly below him. Fili could see him standing about 20 feet from the base of the tree he had climbed up. Should he call out to him and let him know where he was?

Just as Fili had opened his mouth to call out, he heard a loud growl. He looked down to see a large wolf circling the tree he was in, looking up at him hungrily with bared teeth. The growl had alerted Thorin to its presence as well. He whipped around the face the creature, following its line of sight and seeing his little nephew high up in the tree. While he was relieved he had found Fili and that he was relatively safe from the wolf up in the tree, he was less than pleased to find he had forgotten to bring his sword with him in his haste to search for Fili. He searched himself briefly, coming up with only a dagger. But it would be enough to keep his sister-son safe, he would make sure of it.

Thorin could hear Fili whimpering up in the tree. He had to get the wolf's attention away from him quickly, as it appeared the wolf was attempting to climb the branch closest to the ground.

"Oi!" Thorin bellowed. The wolf sprang from the tree and landed right in front of him, hackles raised and body low to the ground. Thorin had little time to wonder why this wolf was being so aggressive when it leapt at him. He managed to roll to the side in time, the wolf's claws just missing his face and barely nicking his shoulder. The wolf turned slowly, snarling viciously at its opponent. Thorin grabbed his dagger and held it before him, ready for any more attacks. Fili watched from the tree, petrified for the safety of his uncle.

There was a brief moment of tense stillness before the wolf suddenly sprang at him again. Thorin managed to sink the dagger into the wolf's belly to the hilt, but not before it clamped its strong jaws on the same shoulder where the wolf had got him before. Thorin could not hold back the pained groan that slipped from his lips as the wolf clung to him with its jaws. He twisted the dagger in its gut, making it yelp and quickly let go of him. The wolf limped back and seemed to assess Thorin for a moment. Then, deciding the idea of a meal wasn't worth the fight it was putting up, it shambled away slowly and disappeared into the brush.

With the threat of immediate danger gone, Thorin placed a hand on his shoulder wound to stop the blood flow and looked up at the tree where Fili still clung to. The little dwarf's eyes were wide when he saw the blood flowing freely from his uncle's shoulder.

"Fili," Thorin spoke quietly, trying not to show signs of pain to his nephew. "Can you climb down from that tree or do you need me to come get you?" Thorin didn't think he could climb the tree given the state of his shoulder, but he figured he should at least ask.

Fili nodded mutely and proceeded to slowly climb down from his high perch. Forgetting that he was still mad at his uncle, Fili ran to Thorin and clutched his legs tightly, burying his face in his long coat. Thorin bent down and picked the blonde dwarf up with his good arm, holding him closely to his chest. Thorin knew that though the danger had passed, he and Fili still had a long journey of forgiveness ahead of them. But after tonight, he was just glad he still had a nephew to forgive at all.

* * *

Dis and Kili were waiting for them in the yard, both pacing anxiously. If the situation wasn't so serious, Thorin might have found little fifteen year old Kili acting like his mother rather humorous. When Dis caught sight of them, she gave a relieved yell and ran over to them, Kili doing the same.

"Fili," she breathed, taking her eldest son from her brother's arms. Fili clutched his mother tightly while she kissed his forehead. "I was so worried," she mumbled, her lips still hovering just above his brow. Kili whined and pulled on Dis' coat, wanting his reunion with his brother as well. Dis reached down and picked him up, holding both her sons in her arms. Kili latched himself to Fili, whimpering in relief.

Thorin watched the reunion taking place in front of him. He felt incredibly guilty that he had caused all of this due to his brash anger. He wished he was better at scolding children, like Dis was. But since he did not have kids of his own, he had never learned through experience the way she had. It was times like this where he was envious of her gentle nature. He bet she would know exactly what to say to Fili to make him feel better, while he would probably make more of a fool of himself and upset his nephew further.

Dis looked up at him, the relief on her features fading into worry when she saw the blood on his shoulder. "You are hurt," she observed. Thorin nodded.

"Come inside, I will deal with your wounds." She turned and walked towards the house, her sons still held snuggly in her arms. Thorin followed behind, making sure to not be too close to Fili. He didn't want to cause any more strife for the little dwarf than he already had.

Upon entering the house, Dis immediately took Fili to the washing room to clean the now scabbing wound on his knee. Kili remained close to his brother, always making some sort of physical contact with him whenever possible. After feeding them both a bit of dinner, she sent them to bed. She was so happy that her son was safe, and to see them clung to each other in their bed made her heart swell with relief.

After tucking them in, she sat Thorin down at the kitchen table and assessed his wounds. They weren't too deep, but would still require stitching. She cleaned and stitched the wound in silence. It was clear Thorin was brooding about something, because he didn't even react when she pierced him with the needle perhaps a little rougher than she should have. He just sat there, brow furrowed and staring off into the distance.

"So," Dis prompted, hoping Thorin would talk about what was troubling him.

Thorin still didn't react. Dis sighed. She finished stitching his shoulder and put some bandages over his wound and around chest. She pulled a chair from the table and sat directly in front of him with every intention to make him talk to her. He looked up at her and they held each other's gaze for a long time before Thorin looked down again.

"I do not know how to fix this."

He spoke so quietly, his voice barely over a whisper, that Dis almost didn't hear her brother at first. But then she nodded, understanding immediately what he was referring to. How do you apologize to someone so young when you had said such terrible things to them? Things that you didn't mean, that were way over the line, but still said anyways?

Truth be told, at that moment she had no idea what to say to him. She wasn't there when he scolded her son, but she knew what he had said had hurt Fili deeply. She could tell that Thorin was truly sorry for what he said, which substantially softened her anger towards him. He had no experience with children, so she could not blame him for speaking a little harshly to him for he did not know the basics of properly scolding a child. And now she feared he would have to learn the hard way.

Thorin looked at his sister while she thought the situation through, desperately hoping she could offer him advice on what to do. After watching different emotions fly across her face for a moment, she settled on looking resigned.

"I know how badly you wish to repair the damage with my son," Dis began. "And it is obvious that you truly regret what you said to him–"

Thorin nodded fervently in agreement.

"–So I think you should just tell him that you're sorry and that you didn't mean what you said. You'd be surprised at how mature Fili can be for his age. You just have to fight for him."

"You know I'm going to fight for him, but I'm scared to lose," Thorin mumbled, subconsciously fiddling with his coat. "But I'll think of something, just give me a day or so. He means the world to me, Dis. I love him like he is my own."

Dis smiled at her brother's confession. "I know, Thorin. I know how much you love him and it warms my heart to hear it coming from you. I have faith you will fix this. I wish you luck, brother." She grasped his uninjured shoulder briefly before retiring to bed.

Thorin sat at the table thinking for a long time after Dis left. Memories of the past swirled in his mind; memories of Erebor and the family he used to have filled his consciousness. He remembers these years as the happiest time of his life. And then he remembers the day he lost it all - the day that Smaug came and destroyed everything in one terrible strike. For many years afterwards he obsessed over Erebor - and sometimes he still does - for it represents the life he used to have and the life he still found himself yearning for.

But now Thorin understands that he often forgets to acknowledge what he does still have – forgets to cherish the family with him now and the life he and the other surviving dwarves have built for themselves in the Blue Mountains. Instead he dwells on what he has lost, and he foolishly lets it affect who he is and how he acts. He has to prevent the past from influencing his present anymore before he loses his family all over again, and before the horrors of the past come back to haunt him once again. He had to learn that the hard way with Fili today, when the poor little one received the brunt of the passion he still holds for Erebor, his lost home and his lost life. It was going to be difficult, but Thorin vowed that he was going to learn to be better to the family he had now, for he cannot bear to lose them. They are all he has left to hold onto.

* * *

The next day, Thorin woke up early and headed to his forge. He did his best thinking during menial tasks, and it had been a while since he had helped his longtime friend Dwalin with the daily workload. Even though his shoulder was incredibly stiff and sore, he figured he could still find ways to help. Maybe he'd even ask Dwalin for a little advice on the matter of Fili, even though he knew the warrior had even less experience with children than he did. But Dwalin was logical, and that's what Thorin needed right now.

Thorin wasn't surprised that Dwalin was already there when he entered the forge, hammering away at a large sword glowing orange from the fire. Dwalin wasn't one to slack off, hard worker that he was, and it was one of the many things Thorin admired about his trusted friend.

Dwalin looked up when he heard Thorin enter. "Thorin!" he shouted joyfully in his deep voice, his Scottish accent as strong as ever. He abandoned the sword on the anvil and brought his King into a bone crushing embrace. Thorin laughed and returned the hug as best he could without straining his shoulder. If he could forego his King persona around anyone and just be himself, it was Dwalin.

"It is good to see you, Dwalin. It has been too long."

"Aye, it has indeed," Dwalin agreed, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Almost a month I'd say. To what do I owe this honour?" Dwalin mockingly attempted to courtesy at his King, and the outrageous image of the huge muscled dwarf doing anything even remotely feminine made Thorin laugh boisterously.

"I needed some time away from the house. I've gotten myself into, well, a bit of a situation," Thorin replied, still chuckling. At this Dwalin sobered a bit, looking closely at his friend for the first time since he arrived. Thorin could tell the exact moment when Dwalin spotted the bandages around his shoulder that were also wrapped partially around his chest to provide best coverage of his wound. Dwalin's small eyes widened and he looked concerned.

"What happened? Who do I have to kill?" Dwalin's grip on the hammer he still held visibly tightened.

The fact Dwalin was completely serious when he said this made Thorin laugh again, though quieter than the first time. His friend was loyal through and through, and more protective than a mother hen.

"I do not think Dis would appreciate you killing her eldest born," Thorin informed him, smirking slightly.

Dwalin looked at him incredulously, confusion written plain on his face. "Young master Fili did this...?"

Thorin sighed, but was secretly amused at how confused he was making the bigger dwarf. "No, of course not. It's a bit of a long story, actually."

Dwalin nodded, set down his hammer on a nearby table and moved to perch himself upon a stool that was almost comically belittled by his large size. He gestured to another stool to his left, then grabbed two ales from seemingly nowhere. He offered one to Thorin. "I have time, I've been working all night and all morning anyways. Besides, it's never too early for an ale."

Thorin rolled his eyes, not surprised in the least that Dwalin had been working so long and that he had somehow procured two ales from the abyss. He grabbed the offered ale and moved to sit on the stool Dwalin had indicated. "I am actually not shocked to hear that, old friend."

Dwalin grinned proudly. "Aye, of course. You expect any less of me, oh King?" He laughed. "Now," Dwalin continued, clapping his hands together twice. "Tell me this story of yours, Thorin. And don't leave any gory details out!"

They sat together for the next hour while Thorin carefully explained the story and making sure to leave no details out so Dwalin would remain unbiased. The large dwarf eyed his King seriously throughout the tale, grunting and nodding and sometimes asking the odd question every now and then. When he was finished, Dwalin looked at him sadly.

"That's quite the position you've gotten yourself into."

Thorin nodded morosely. Nothing had been solved, but he couldn't help feeling immensely better to get it off his chest even if it made him feel like a gossiping dwarf lass. He watched as Dwalin eyed the bottom of his empty ale intently, clearly thinking deeply about what Thorin told him. Eventually, Dwalin sighed and looked up.

"I'm no expert oh King, but I would think taking the wee lad out for a little bonding time couldn't hurt. Maybe explain to him the importance of Erebor to you, and maybe even the feud between the dwarves and the Elves." Dwalin grimaced slightly as he said the last word, like it was a bad taste in his mouth. He had no more love for the Elves than Thorin did, but he was obviously trying to keep unbiased to find a good solution for his friend's problems. Thorin appreciated this immensely.

"Explaining the history will not justify the actions."

Dwalin nodded. "I agree. But it's a start, and the lad has a right to know. How much have you told him about Erebor?"

"Not much," Thorin admitted. "Only that it is our rightful home and that Smaug is keeping it from us."

"Well, if knowing the history will not solve the issue, perhaps opening up to Fili about it may be a sign of trust and companionship that he needs. It is a step in the right direction, at least."

Thorin considered this. It made sense. If he could get some one-on-one time with his nephew, perhaps he could extend the offering of peace by finally opening up to him. Thorin looked out the window, noticing that the sun was just starting to rise. If he got home right now, maybe Dis would let him take her son out for the day.

He stood quickly, his hope returning as he thought of what he and Fili could do today. He turned to his large friend. "Thank you Dwalin, you have been incredibly helpful. I think I know what to do now."

Dwalin grinned, clearly pleased that he had helped. "It is my duty, as a friend and as a loyal member of the King's party. I am glad I have helped. Now make haste old friend, you don't have a second to lose!" Dwalin grabbed Thorin by the shoulders and all but threw him out the door. Thorin laughed and headed back home, feeling much more light-spirited and hopeful since this whole mess began. He could make this better, he was confident of that now.

* * *

Dis was in the kitchen making tea when Thorin came bursting through the door, a little more out of breath than he'd like to admit. He quickly went to her and took her by the shoulders, getting her undivided attention. "Dis, can I have Fili for the day? I think I know what to do."

"Of course, but you will need his permission as well. I will not make him do anything he does not want to do."

"Fair enough. Is he still in his room?"

"I believe so. Kili is in the washing room so he is in there alone."

Perfect. Talking to Fili alone would certainly help things. Thorin walked towards the room, knocking softly on the door.

"Come in," came a small voice behind the door.

Thorin opened the door slowly, seeing Fili sitting on the edge of the bed putting his new boots on. Fili visibly stiffened when he saw who it was, but otherwise gave no other indication that he was still upset at the figure that just entered his room.

When he saw his little nephew stiffen, he repressed a groan. Had he really hurt his sister-son that baldy, that he was obviously uncomfortable by his mere presence? He certainly had a lot of work to do in gaining back Fili's trust and love.

He carefully approached the young dwarf and sat down beside him on the bed, making sure to not make physical contact with him yet. Thorin looked down at Fili, who had given up putting his boots on and was staring determinedly at the floor, refusing to make eye contact with his uncle.

"Fili," Thorin began quietly. "I was wondering if you'd like to come fishing with me this morning? I have some things I would like to speak with you about, if that is alright with you."

If Thorin had not been paying such close attention, he may have missed the slight nod from Fili. Thorin smiled in relief. "Excellent. Why don't you finish getting dressed while I get everything ready?" Without waiting for a response he wasn't sure he was likely to get, Thorin stood and walked from the room. He headed towards the small shed in their yard where they kept odds and ends, some of which included their fishing gear. He grabbed everything he needed and made his way back to the house, where the rest of the family was sitting at the kitchen table.

Dis spotted the gear in Thorin's hands. "Shall I be making fish tonight for dinner, brother?"

"Most likely, I am an _excellent_ fisher after all," Thorin couldn't resist jabbing back, smiling cheekily. Never let it be said that Dis was the only child of Thrain with a mischievous nature. Their easy joking seemed to defuse some of the tense atmosphere that had descending upon the family when Thorin arrived. Kili even smiled a little bit. Thorin looked to his eldest nephew, who still had not said a word yet today. "Fili? Are you ready to go?"

Fili nodded and got up from the table. He hugged Dis and Kili and then followed his uncle out the door. It was a short trek through the safer parts of the woods towards the fishing hole, one that was spent in silence save for a polite 'thank you' from Fili when Thorin caught him after he tripped on root protruding from the ground. The air between then was slightly tense, but not quite awkward, to which Thorin was grateful.

This was far from the first time Thorin had gone fishing – despite his joking attitude with his sister he really was a skilled fisherman – and because of it he knew exactly what to do when they arrived at the fishing hole. He moved to an obvious fishing spot, characterized by soft grass worn flat by those sitting upon it, and began to set up. While he chose lures and baited them, he explained to Fili the ins and outs of the art of fishing and surprisingly Fili was obviously quite interested, though he did not utter a word.

When the lines were set and the lures bobbed happily in the water, Thorin showed Fili when to let the bait sit or when to slowly reel it in before casting it out again. He taught him how to cast with good form as well as what fish preferred which bait and lures. Fishing really was a fascinating art, one that he was all too eager to teach his young nephew. He liked that they were bonding over something, even if Fili still had not said anything to him that day. Thorin didn't let that damper his positive spirits though, he wasn't expecting Fili to talk right away anyways. Even though he was still young, it became apparent over the years that Fili's way of controlling his emotions or coping with stressful situations was to remain silent and stoic, a trait that made Thorin both proud and worried.

Thorin took the time that his nephew was preoccupied with the water to think of a good way to bring up the topic of what happened the day before. It was still a sore subject, but it needed to be dealt with. He reached down to his breeches and felt the pocket where the Elven arrowhead was. Just knowing he was carrying something that symbolized the Elves' cowardly warfare was enough to make his blood boil, but he had brought it for Fili as a sign of good faith and he would control himself for the sake of his sister-son.

Thorin watched as Fili leaned down towards the water and stuck his fingers in it, his golden hair swinging and shining in the morning sunlight. It was the golden hair of his father who had died in an orc raid nearly fifteen years ago. His hair was a harsh contrast to the dark brown of the rest of his family, successfully alienating him from them in physical appearance. While Fili had blonde hair and startling blue eyes, Kili had dark brown hair and equally dark eyes. It was incredible how much Kili resembled a young Frerin, and the resemblance always prevented Thorin from scolding Kili as harshly as he scolded Fili. He knew it was exceedingly unfair to Fili, and he was ashamed of himself for doing that to him.

Beyond their physical differences, there was more to why he found himself treating Fili and Kili so differently. Fili was the heir to Erebor as he was the eldest of the two brothers, and because of that Kili had no such expectations on his shoulders. Sometimes Thorin would forget to treat Fili as the child he still was, instead of the future King he was grooming him to be. He also knew it wasn't fair, for Fili never asked to be heir and he knew he spoiled Kili more because he was the youngest. That was another thing he would have to correct in regards to how he treated his nephews. He would work on that, but first it was time to talk about the present situation.

Fili giggled when a fish came and nipped at the fingers that were still dipped in the water. Thorin chuckled too, but more out of happiness that Fili was actually expressing emotion than of actual humour. Fili sat back on the soft ground beside Thorin, casually playing with the grass between his fingers. Thorin took a deep breath.

"Fili," he began. He saw Fili's fingers still within the grass. "I would like to speak to you about yesterday."

The little dwarf did not say anything, though he glanced up at Thorin quickly before looking down again. It was clear Thorin would have to do most of the talking. He resisted the urge to sigh. "Look Fili, I just wanted to say –"

Fili cringed, waiting for the scolding and lecture he was sure was coming.

"–That I'm sorry."

Fili looked up at Thorin, surprise written all over his face. It was clear to Thorin that he had not been expecting an apology from his uncle. Thorin felt shame wash over him again from seeing how his nephew reacted, as though he was going to scold him again when he himself was the one that was clearly in the wrong.

"I wanted you to know that I regret every word of what I said to you yesterday. It was beyond inappropriate, and you did not deserve it." He placed a large hand on Fili's slim shoulder, growing hopeful when Fili did not pull away but instead leaned ever so slightly into the touch. "You must understand what Erebor means to me, young one. It was my home and my life and everything I dream about getting back someday. To hear you claim that it wasn't real, like it wasn't important was something that I could not handle. The anger made me say awful things, and things that were not even close to the truth." Well, it turns out he was better at this than he thought; the words were spilling out of him easily now - he didn't even need to plan what he was going to say.

Keeping one hand on his shoulder, Thorin gently took hold of Fili's chin with his other hand to turn his head towards him so that he could look his nephew in the eyes. "You are a wonderful child, Fili. You are kind, smart and you look after Kili with fierce loyalty and true devotion. You are your mother and I's pride and joy. We are so proud of you, and we love you with all of our hearts. Sometimes I may say harsh things, but I will get better at controlling myself, I promise you. I love you so much, Fili."

Thorin realized the impact of what he said when Fili gasped. Had he never told his nephews how much he loved them and how hard he worked to make sure they could have happy lives? What a poor excuse for an uncle he was.

He took Fili into his arms, embracing him. Fili clutched his shirt and buried his face in the fabric. They sat there for a few moments, Thorin rocking his nephew and stroking his hair. Eventually, Fili sniffed and pulled back, and it was then Thorin realized he'd been crying.

"I love you too, uncle," Fili managed with a watery smile. Thorin felt like his chest would explode from the relief that flooded him. "And I'm sorry too."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, young one. It was my mistake, I acted too harshly. To prove that I am truly sorry, I have something for you." Thorin reached into his pocket and retrieved the arrowhead, offering it to Fili. He had taken some time the night before to clean it, so now it shone brightly in the sun.

Fili took it carefully, turning it around in his hands as he examined it. He looked up at Thorin with a smile. "Thank you, uncle. But I'm still sorry, I shouldn't have said that elves were cooler than dwarves, 'cause they're not." Thorin couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I just really liked the shape and stuff. It looked like the things you and Uncle Dwalin make in the forge, and I wanna make swords and arrows just like you when I grow up."

If Thorin's chest hadn't split from emotion before, it certainly was now. He was so foolish to act the way he did when he saw Fili's fascination with the arrowhead without even considering there may be an ulterior motive behind it. But once again, blinding rage prevailed and had brought them to where they were now. He did not deserve how easily his nephew was forgiving him, nor his endless kindness.

"That… that means a lot to me, Fili. And even if Elves are cowardly scum, I… begrudgingly admit that they do know how to forge a _decent_ blade or arrow."

Fili laughed, and Thorin laughed with him. Then they were quiet for a moment, content to sit together in comfortable silence until Thorin remembered something important.

"Fili, can you promise me something?"

"What?"

"Please never run away again. You worried your mother sick... you worried _me_ sick."

Fili bowed his head. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Thorin ruffled his hair affectionately. "That's my boy." He took Fili off of his lap and placed him beside him. "I have something else for you. I was going to give it to you on your birthing day, but I never got the chance to. But now, I think you will find that it quite fits the situation."

Thorin reached up around his neck and unclasped a felt necklace. He gathered the long material up in his palm, displaying the small medallion that hung from the smooth length of fabric. "My father, Thrain, gave me this back in Erebor a few years before Smaug attacked. It is pure gold with the carving of a lion on the front. The lion stands for courage and bravery in the face of adversity. You have proven how strong you are, young one, and I want you to have it."

Fili's mouth dropped open as Thorin clasped the necklace around his skinny neck. The medallion rested on his stomach as it was much too big for the still growing dwarf. Thorin chuckled at how large it looked on the stunned Fili. "You'll grow into it, little lion. You have earned it."

Thorin barely had time to react before Fili flung himself at him in another embrace. "You are the best uncle ever," Fili said, voice muffled by Thorin's shoulder.

Just then, the fishing rod that was stuck in the earth next to Thorin took off towards the water. Thorin whipped his hand out and clutched the end of the rod just in time. "We've got a big one, Fili!"

Fili jumped and cheered excitedly as Thorin reeled in the fish with a great deal of expertise. The fish really didn't have much of a chance against him, and soon found itself on land with a lure being removed from its mouth.

"Come, Fili. Let's wrap this up and take it home. We will be having a delicious dinner tonight!" Fili cheered again and helped his uncle prepare the fish for the short journey home.

* * *

They arrived back at the house a half hour later, Fili sitting on Thorin's shoulders with a large wrapped fish tucked snuggly in his arms. Thorin kneeled so Fili could slide off and show Dis, who had heard the commotion and had come to investigate. Kili ran over and congratulated his brother while his mother began to prep the fish for cooking. Fili gave one last smile towards Thorin before Kili succeeded in dragging him off somewhere. Thorin smiled back and went to the kitchen to find Dis. He found her rinsing the fish before gutting it. She turned when she heard him arrive.

"I take it everything went well?" Dis asked, grinning happily.

"Exceedingly so." Thorin flopped down in a chair at the table. "I never want to go through that again in my entire life."

Dis laughed loudly. "Good. I am so proud of you, Thorin. You're learning."

"Learning just a tad too slowly, apparently."

They laughed together. "Learning all the same, though. That is what's important."

Just then, Fili raced back into the kitchen and grabbed Thorin's arm, almost yanking him from his seat. "Thorin! Thorin! You have to come see this. Kili found the biggest lizard ever!"

Before Fili could drag Thorin out of the kitchen, he did not miss the content look that adorned Dis' features, nor how she beamed proudly at them. Thorin was grateful that if he was going to cause his family any grief due to his brash nature, he was at least also capable of fixing it. He was going to learn to change for his family, especially for Fili. He could be wiser and calmer when it was called for; he could control his anger. It did not matter what he had to sacrifice for it, because it would be completely worth it.

Just seeing the happy smile on Fili's face was all the reward he'd ever need.

* * *

**Reviews and prompts are always welcome! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**** Here's the next chapter! I fear Dwalin may be a little OOC in this, so bear with me :)**

**Someone who reviewed gave the 'Dwalin babysits' prompt, and I loved the idea. So to whoever you are, thanks!**

**Once again, thank you to those who reviewed/followed/favourited! I hope you enjoy this next installment.**

* * *

"Thank you for doing this, Dwalin."

Dwalin stood in the doorway, his large frame almost taking up the entire space. He bowed deeply to the figure before him. "It is my pleasure, Lady Dis. It's nothing I cannot handle."

He was here at his King's home on official royal business. While Dis had to journey to another town to the East (for what purpose Dwalin was not told), Thorin was away in the Iron Hills seeking council with Dain. So while his King and his sister were absent, someone was required to take their place for the day. And thus, the high priority and no doubt dangerous mission 'Operation: Watch Kili And Fili' was born.

"Erm, yes, of course. It's just you've never watched over them before, and they have a bit of a… well, _history_ with previous caretakers," Dis responded, clearly nervous. But if it was nervousness for her two boys or the poor soul who had to watch over them, Dwalin did not know. He was almost glad she did not elaborate on their history; he did not particularly want to know the fate of those before him.

"Bah! You worry too much, my Lady. We'll be fine. Besides, Balin has watched them for half a day before and they all survived with minimal mental scarring," Dwalin reminded her. Dwalin tried to sound extra confident as he didn't want his lack of experience with children to make Dis more worried than she already was. But he'd never admit that he was a little nervous himself – he didn't want to let them down after they trusted him with such an important task.

Dis chuckled, his joking calming her nerves. "You are right," she finally said after a moment. "If Balin can handle them, then you should have no problem. It is only one day, after all. I am being foolish."

Dwalin felt his chest swell with pride at the compliment. "Aye. I will not disappoint. Everything will be in perfect order when you return tonight, I swear it."

Dis smiled at him and went to grab her pack. Just then, her sons' bedroom door opened and a blonde head peeked out. Seeing his mother at the door with Dwalin, the young dwarf left his room and approached them.

"Momma? Are you leaving now?" Fili asked in a sleepy voice.

Dis knelt down and took his small face in her hands. "Yes, young one. But I will be back tonight, like I told you and Kili yesterday. Dwalin is going to look after you while I am gone, so I expect you to be on your best behavior. Is that understood?"

Fili nodded and wrapped his arms around his mother. She returned his embrace, kissing the top of his head. With a parting smile to Fili and Dwalin, Dis put on her pack and was out the door. Dwalin watched her go, the first rays of light from the rising sun framing her in a golden halo.

Dwalin turned to Fili when Dis was out of sight. While they had interacted before, it was never without Thorin or Dis with them, so it was a little awkward at first. They stared at each other for a moment, both waiting for the other to do something. Finally, Dwalin grunted in defeat.

"Well, I'm starving. How about some breakfast, eh laddie?" When in doubt, food was always the answer.

Fili grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "I'll go wake up Kili." He ran off down the hall, disappearing through their bedroom door in mere seconds.

Dwalin walked towards the kitchen and rifled through the shelves for something good to make. He went to the ice box and found some sausages, which he was quite pleased about. He certainly knew how to make a good sausage, that was for sure. He was about to start cooking them when he realized the lads probably required more than just sausages for breakfast. They would need a 'balanced meal' and all that other rubbish. If you asked him, meat was all you needed to stay healthy and strong. But he knew Dis would not approve, so he put his prejudice for other food groups behind him and set aside the sausages for the time being.

Sighing, he searched the kitchen again. He looked in the cupboards and found a fresh loaf of bread and some raspberry jam. He found some potatoes as well but he figured bread and meat was enough – he wasn't a master cook after all. He set the bread and jam on the table and put the sausages in a pan on the stove. The meat was just beginning to sizzle when he noticed the distinct lack of two little dwarves in the room. Hadn't Fili left a while ago to wake up Kili? Where could they be?

Leaving the pan unattended, Dwalin made his way towards their bedroom. He was about to knock when he heard quiet chatter filtering out through the wooden door. He overheard what he could only describe as an evil cackle – but it didn't worry him, _definitely_ not – before he decided he'd listened in on quite enough. He knocked on the door and the talking abruptly halted.

"You in there, lads? I am making sausages if you'd like some."

The door opened and Dwalin was met with two angelic smiles that automatically made him suspicious. "Hi Uncle Dwalin," Kili sang, latching onto his right leg. Dwalin made a mental note that Kili was not a shy young dwarf. He had even less experience with Kili than Fili and therefore did not know much about him. But judging by the way Kili was hanging off of him, this distinct lack of knowledge of each other did not seem to bother the small dark-haired dwarf in the slightest.

Fili passed Dwalin, angelic smile still in place, and headed towards the delicious smell of cooking meat. Dwalin followed after him, walking oddly from his leg's new addition. What had those two been talking about? He knew something was up. Dwalin was a warrior, and any good warrior knew a plan – or in this case, evil ploy – when they saw one. He'd just have to keep an eye out for any mischievous behavior.

When he arrived back in the kitchen, Fili was seated at the table looking at Dwalin expectantly. Without needing to be told, Kili unwrapped himself from Dwalin's limb and obediently took a seat beside his older brother. Now Dwalin definitely knew something was up. He didn't know the little dwarves very well, but he knew from Thorin's frequent ranting that they were never this well behaved. His suspicion was starting to morph into something akin to worry, which was never a good sign.

Keeping his eyes on the two brothers, he went to the stove and continued to cook the sausages that were surprisingly not burnt at that point. Dwalin chalked it up to his extensive sausage making prowess. When they were finally ready, Dwalin set the sausages in front of them. He had barely pulled his hands away before Fili and Kili sprung upon the meat and proceeded to stuff their faces. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Dwalin knew they should be eating with some semblance of manners but watching them eat was just too amusing. As strange as they were, there was no question that Dis' sons were dwarves through and through.

They ate in near silence, save for the occasional satisfied grunt. Dwalin only ate a few sausages because Fili managed to eat nearly all of them by himself, much to Dwalin's amusement. When they were finished, Dwalin got up and put the dishes in the washing sink and promptly decided he would clean them later. He justified it by telling himself the need to spend all of his time watching the boys for any signs of mischief was more important than washing the dishes.

He was startled out of his thoughts by an incredibly loud belch. He whipped around to see Kili's smug face grinning widely at him. After a moment of stunned silence, Dwalin burst out laughing at the sheer incredulity that such a small being could produce such a monstrous noise. Kili and Fili soon echoed his laughter with their own.

"Well done lad," Dwalin praised, still chuckling. "You are definitely your uncle's nephew. That belch would rival one of Thorin's very own."

Kili grinned proudly, basking in the glory of his accomplishment.

Dwalin continued cleaning up their breakfast while Fili and Kili sat in their seats. When Dwalin turned to put the leftover bread back into the cupboard, he missed the look that Fili and Kili shared.

"Hey Dwalin," Fili began. "Do you know what momma would do if we were very good during breakfast?"

Dwalin stilled and turned to look at Fili, instantly suspicious of the golden-haired dwarf's sing-song voice. He would probably regret asking, but he figured he was obligated to. "And what is that, Fili?"

"She'd give us each a sugar roll for being so well behaved," Fili explained patiently, smiling sweetly. Kili giggled and nodded his agreement.

Dwalin narrowed his eyes. Giving sweets to youngsters so early in the morning? That didn't sound like something Dis would do at all.

"…Right."

"No, really!" Kili chimed in. "She would! They're in that top cupboard over there."

Dwalin looked at the cupboard Kili indicated. It was high up, much too high for two little dwarves to reach. He deduced that they were probably using his height and his inexperience with them to get some sugary sweets that they wouldn't normally be allowed at this time of day. Well, Dwalin knew better now that he had figured out their plan. He intended to play along just to show the boys who was really in charge in this situation.

"Oh, you mean _this _cupboard?" Dwalin asked slowly, making exaggerated gestures towards where the sugar rolls were kept.

Fili and Kili nodded, both sporting smiles that were not quite innocent looking. As Dwalin turned to reach for the cupboard, he heard shuffling and giggling behind him but thought nothing of it. He swung open the cupboard to reveal… nothing. Dwalin grunted in annoyance.

"There is nothing –"

Dwalin turned to accuse Fili and Kili of lying, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"– here. Erm, Fili? Kili?" Dwalin called, hoping they would respond to him. When they didn't call back, he briefly searched the kitchen only to quickly learn they were definitely gone. He listened intently, but he did not hear any of the brothers' giggling. Had he lost Dis' children already? She hadn't even been gone an hour!

Dwalin decided he'd better search the rest of the house. He didn't hear any doors open, so that meant that hopefully they were still inside the house somewhere no doubt plotting his untimely demise. Dwalin shuddered at what else they could have planned. He was about to leave the kitchen to begin his search when he stepped on something sticky. It made a weird squelching noise as he lifted up his boot to inspect what he trod upon. It appeared to be honey with a sugar like substance mixed in. But wait, these were from sugar rolls! How did they…?

And then it dawned on Dwalin. They had tricked him! It all made sense to him now – they took the opportunity when his back was turned to steal sweets from where they knew they were actually kept. Dwalin suddenly felt the nearly overwhelming urge to punch something. How had those two miniscule spawns of the devil managed to deceive him like that? Despite his anger at them and at himself for falling for their trick, he begrudgingly admitted that they were a lot more clever than he gave them credit for. But he would not make the same mistake twice.

* * *

As it turned out, Dwalin did make the same mistake twice. Several times, actually. But in his defense, once again he did not recognize their plans before they were put into action.

So now Dwalin sat in the armchair in front of the fire, making a mental list of all the things that had occurred within the span of a few hours. To start, Fili and Kili had disappeared again, but at this point he was no longer shocked at their ability to vanish at any given time. His once pristine and well-groomed beard was now full of twigs and leaves. They had been out in the yard when Fili and Kili decided to trip him into the pile of branches they had been collecting for a fire. He didn't even want to think about what happened at lunch and dinner time – there was still bits of potato stuck to the ceiling that refused to come off. And for the record, he had still not done the growing pile of dishes yet.

His hands and forearms were covered in small scratches when the brothers had decided that he should meet a squirrel they had found (affectionately named Chippy) who had taken a certain disliking to the large dwarf judging by how it immediately attacked him. And then there were his boots, which were currently missing in action. Normally Dwalin would not be too worried about it, but since his boots were filled with his just sharpened throwing knives, he had reason to be slightly concerned at their sudden disappearance.

"Hey Dwalin!"

Before Dwalin could respond, something flew past his face at an alarming proximity. It imbedded itself in the oak shelf next to his head. He sighed. Well, he had found one of his throwing knives at least. He peeked to his side, spotting a tuft of blonde hair and a flash of metal before another knife flew past his face and landed right next to the first knife. Dwalin noticed woefully that the shelf looked old and was probably an antique; an antique that was now sporting several weapons set deep in its wooden exterior.

"Fili?" Dwalin called.

"Yes, Dwalin?" Fili's voice rang back to him. Dwalin could almost picture the smirk that he was sure adorned Fili's small face.

"Where did you learn to throw knives like that?"

"Thorin taught me. I can throw all kinds of things." Fili giggled at the shocked expression on Dwalin's face.

"But- but you are only twenty-two years old!" Dwalin sputtered. If he had any hair left on his head, he was sure he would have pulled it all out by now.

Fili just smiled wickedly at him and prepared to throw another knife. Before he could throw it, Dwalin dove out of the way and sought refuge in the kitchen. Sitting down at the table, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, his relief was short lived – he nearly jumped out of his skin when another knife flew past him once more and hit the cupboard where Fili and Kili had previously claimed the sugar rolls were kept. Through his shock, Dwalin barely had to the presence of mind to note how ironic that was.

He didn't even bother turning to look for Fili, knowing he was already gone. Instead, Dwalin just stared at the small knife for a long time, thinking about nothing and everything all at once. He seriously considered starting a 'Fili and Kili: Victims Anonymous' group for those who had also had to endure babysitting them. There was no way he was the only one to receive this treatment from the little dwarves. Maybe he'd find Balin and make him tell him what really happened when his older brother had to look after Dis' sons. Clearly, Balin was so traumatized by the experience that he had lied to preserve Dwalin's peace of mind.

Dwalin knew he should get up and find Fili and Kili and maybe even try to get them to bathe (but as he remembered the horror stories Thorin had told him, he quickly dismissed the idea). Dwalin didn't know what to do next. After wrestling with his inner self for a while, he promptly decided he was too old for this business. He put his head down on the table and waited for his saviour to come.

* * *

Thorin sighed happily when his home came into view. While it was always nice to get away for whatever reason (and in this case it just so happened to be on official business) Thorin knew he would always come home before too long. Even though it was not Erebor, his true home, he'd come to rather enjoy the fresh air of the Blue Mountains. Besides, coming home also meant he could get off his pony and give his sore backside a chance to recuperate from the long journey, which he was incredibly pleased about.

He gracefully slid from the saddle and led his tired horse to their barn. With an affectionate stroke to Daisy's snout, Thorin headed towards the lights of his home ready to indulge in a cold ale and a warm fire. He was enjoying the peace and quiet as he walked, as well as the beautiful colour of the sky from the setting sun. There really was nothing quite like coming home after being away, he mused. He couldn't wait to see his sister and hug his two little nephews that he had missed so much.

Speaking of his nephews, where were they? Normally they'd be jumping all over him by now. He knew he was home earlier than what was planned, but he usually always had a welcome home greeting no matter when he arrived back. He had been quite looking forward to it if truth be told. Thorin strained his ears but didn't hear a single giggle or the sounds of an evil plan being hatched or even anything that would signal that Fili and Kili were nearby. How odd.

With his curiosity sufficiently spiked, Thorin entered his home eagerly. As he headed towards the kitchen in search of an ale, upon entering he was met by the sight of Dwalin sitting with his head against the wooden table and his arms lying limp in his lap. Thorin stopped and raised an eyebrow at the unusual sight before him. Seeing Dwalin sitting in his kitchen looking utterly defeated was not exactly what Thorin expected to find. Especially since it was his old friend Dwalin, son of Fundin, mighty dwarven warrior and skilled forge man, whom he was not accustomed to seeing so unlike his normal confident self.

Thorin cleared his throat loudly, hoping to stir his friend from his silence. Dwalin didn't even look up. Thorin noticed with some alarm that a throwing knife was embedded deeply in one of the cupboards.

"_Dwalin_."

Finally Dwalin stirred, then abruptly sat up straight when he realized who was calling him. They made eye contact for a moment before Dwalin was suddenly out of his seat and in front of his King in mere seconds.

"T-Thorin! I was not expecting you home so soon." He shakily clapped Thorin on the shoulder in greeting.

Thorin regarded him warily. It was clear that Dwalin was uncharacteristically flustered about something. "Ah, okay. Well, I'm home early then," Thorin replied rather awkwardly. He looked around the kitchen. "Not that I am not happy to see you old friend, but what are you doing here? And where is Dis? And Fili and Kili?"

Dwalin took a moment to gather himself before he responded. "Oh! Erm, Dis is has journeyed to a village in the East and will return by nightfall. And Fili and Kili are... hiding."

"...Hiding?"

"Aye, we are playing hide and seek. They are winning." He paused. "Most definitely winning."

Thorin looked at him skeptically. "You are babysitting my nephews?"

The incredulous tone of Thorin's statement made Dwalin frown and cross his arms, the need to defend himself and his honour flaring within him. "Aye, maybe I am. I'm quite a good care taker for your information, oh King of mine." Thorin did not miss Dwalin muttering _'it's more like evil sitting anyways'_ under his breath but he wisely chose to ignore it.

"Really now?" Thorin was finding it increasingly difficult to speak with a straight face and level voice.

Dwalin huffed indignantly, making Thorin smirk. "Aye_, really_," Dwalin replied, sounding like he was near the end of his patience, which Thorin noticed with no small amount of glee. "Dis personally asked me to watch them, for your information. She claimed she had complete faith in me and that she wasn't worried about it for a moment," Dwalin finished proudly.

"Is that so?"

Dwalin glared at him. "Aye," he confirmed again, looking Thorin in the eyes as if challenging him to object.

"Then where are Fili and Kili now?"

"I already told you that they are hiding! We are playing a game."

"You never were one for games, Dwalin," Thorin reminded him, trying not to laugh at his over defensive companion. "So how long have Fili and Kili been hiding then?"

Dwalin shifted his feet and his face turned red. "...Erm, a while."

"How long is a while?"

"An hour."

Thorin knew he should be worried that his nephews had been out of the sight of their 'evilsitter' for an hour, but he also knew Fili and Kili were just being their usual mischievous selves. After all, it was not the first care taker they had driven to near madness and he doubted it would be the last. He was willing to bet the two were hidden nearby, probably watching the whole exchange between their uncle and their latest victim.

"Watch this," Thorin instructed Dwalin, who crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance.

"Good luck," Dwalin muttered. "I've been calling for them for a while now with no answer."

Thorin turned towards the doorway to the kitchen. "Fili! Kili!" he called. There was a moment of silence before the sound of running feet was heard. Before long, two small dwarves flew into the kitchen, blonde and near black hair flying. Thorin suddenly found himself with an armful of happy wriggling nephews, ones that were clearly overjoyed he had returned home ahead of schedule.

"'Uncle Thorin!" they crowed cheerfully, each wrapping their arms around his neck in a hug.

Thorin looked at Dwalin, a smug grin firmly on his face at how willingly Fili and Kili obeyed him. Dwalin looked about ready to blow – a large vein in his neck throbbed dangerously and his breath came in quick huffs. The large dwarf turned and mouthed silent words that Thorin suspected were colourful curses while his thick tattooed arms made all sorts of frantic and decidedly fed-up gestures. Finally, Dwalin completed his silent rage fit. He looked back at the amused dwarves behind him and threw him arms up in absolute resignation.

"You know what? I don't even care."

Fili and Kili began to giggle, making Thorin laugh as well.

"Look at the lads! _Now _they act like the innocent angels they are definitely not. Evil dwarflings!" Dwalin began pacing the kitchen, muttering angrily to himself. Thorin may have caught the words 'sugar rolls', 'knives' and 'devil spawns', but he could not know for sure.

Before Dwalin could have a full mental breakdown, Thorin decided to interject. Placing Fili and Kili down, he went to Dwalin and took him by the shoulders. "How about an ale, eh Dwalin? I have some cooling in the ice box."

Dwalin nodded fervently, looking like Aulë just offered him eternal salvation. "Ale. Yes, ale. Ale sounds very good right now, very good indeed." He rubbed his face roughly with his large hands and sank down on the closest chair. He immediately chugged the ale Thorin offered him.

Thorin sat down across from his friend, sipping his own ale. "You know, this is how it was my first time watching them too," Thorin admitted without a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "They are a lot to handle, being the clever little dwarves that they are. But I have learned to handle them over time, and you will too if you're brave enough to try again. The first time is like an initiation process. You have to earn their respect – but when you do, you will always have it."

"But no one warned me! Even Balin said they were a walk in the park to look after. Not anything like- like _this_!" Dwalin gestured towards the brothers.

Both looked over to see Fili and Kili wrestling with each other on the ground in the next room, Fili clearly winning. The brothers were laughing and cajoling each other, reminding Thorin of much younger versions of himself and Frerin. The thought made him smile sadly.

"Yes, they are a handful. But I wouldn't have them any other way."

Dwalin knew Thorin well enough to know that he wasn't seeing Fili and Kili right then, but rather himself and his lost brother. Dwalin patted Thorin on the arm. Thorin looked appreciative of the small comfort Dwalin offered him.

"I miss him too, Thorin. Kili looks so much like Frerin used to."

Thorin nodded. "Yes, they look very similar." They were silent for a moment before Thorin spoke again, quieter than the first time. "I would protect them with my life."

"As would I, you know that Thorin. They may be made up of all that is evil, but I would still do whatever I could to keep them out of harm's way."

Thorin cracked a smile and shook his head at Dwalin's obvious jab. He finished his ale and went to get them another round. They sat talking for the rest of the night, watching Fili and Kili as they played with each other. The two dwarves were conversing so deeply that they did not notice Fili and Kili fall asleep curled up on a cushion on the floor, nor the front door opening quietly.

"Well hello there," Dis greeted Dwalin and her brother, who were hunched over many empty ales in her kitchen. Thorin smiled and got up to embrace his sister. Dwalin merely glared at her and put his head on the table, the many ales he'd consumed obviously having an effect on him.

"It's good to see you home safe, Dis."

"To you also, brother," Dis replied. She looked around Thorin and regarded a nearly passed out Dwalin slumped over her table. She raised a delicate eyebrow at Thorin who just smirked in response.

"Erm, Dwalin?" Dis asked, approaching the table and taking a seat.

"Eh?" Dwalin raised his head and looked at her expectantly.

"Rough day?" She smiled cheekily.

Dwalin groaned and muttered several unintelligible curses, letting his head drop to the table once more. Well, Thorin assumed they were curses, given the events of the day and the number of ales Dwalin had already drank.

Dis laughed quietly and reached for an ale of her own. "So," she began after a few sips, giving Thorin a look of pure mischief that reminded him strongly of the looks his nephews would give him sometimes. "Thorin and I have to attend a meeting in three days. Would you be able to watch over Fili and Kili again for us?"

Thorin had never seen Dwalin move so quickly. He barely glimpsed Dwalin's horrified expression before the large dwarf was half running and half stumbling out their door, yelling curses the entire way. Thorin and Dis began to laugh, waking Fili and Kili who had been sleeping soundly up until that point. Fili was the first to put two and two together, and began laughing as well.

"Now I see where they get it from," Thorin laughed, gesturing at his nephews.

Dis grinned and looked at her sons. "They learned from the best," she proclaimed proudly. Fili and Kili got up and climbed up into her lap.

"So you two were on your best behaviour with Dwalin, right? You didn't put him through too much, did you?" Dis asked her sons.

Fili and Kili smiled innocently. "Of course momma," Fili replied, his voice leaking with faux sweetness.

Dis wasn't fooled, but she laughed anyways. "Glad to hear it." She got up and headed towards her sons' bedroom since it was already way past their usual bed time.

"Dis?"

She turned around at Thorin's call. "Yes, brother?"

"Poor Dwalin never stood a chance against them, did he?"

Dis smirked at him, and tightened her arms around her sons.

"Not for a second."

* * *

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